Band for operating on shoes

ABSTRACT

A FLEXIBLE BAND FOR WRAPPING ABOUT A SHOE CONTOUR AND HAVING SUPERPOSED PORTIONS SECURED TOGETHER BY HEADED FASTENERS IN A T-SLOT SO AS TO MOVE RELATIVELY AS THE BAND IS WRAPPED AROUND A SHOE CONTOUR.

United States Patent Oihce 3,606,625 BAND FOR OPER TING ON SHOES Charles .I. Ioannilli, West Roxhury, and John S. Bialek,

Ipswich, Mass., assignors to USM Corporation, Boston, Mass.

Filed Feb. 2, 1970, Ser. No. 7,909 Int. Cl. A43d 21/00 US. Cl. 12-144 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible band for wrapping about a shoe contour and having superposed portions secured together by headed fasteners in a T-slot so as to move relatively as the band is wrapped around a shoe contour.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART There is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,986,753, granted in the name of A. I. Gilbride, a shoe lasting machine having a flexible toe band which is conformable to the toe end of a shoe. Relative heightwise movement between the band and the shoe acts to wipe the shoe upper heightwise to conform it closely to a shoe last shape. The upper thereafter is wiped inwardly over and secured to the shoe bottom by separate wipers. As disclosed in said patent, the toe band comprises a band of synthetic plastic material which is riveted securely to a supporting metal strip having ears mounted on arms which apply a wrap ping force to the band.

While such a toe band construction operates in a generally satisfactory manner, it has been found that the fasteners which secure the band to the metal strip are subject to excessive wear and breakage after relatively short use. This is due primarily to the fact that the band is wrapped about the shoe curvature, following a much smaller radius than the metal supporting strip. Since the metal strip cannot be elongated to any great extent, the relative difference between the movement of the band and strip applies a shearing force on the rivets. Furthermore, the fasteners such as rivets must be clinched or otherwise secured by access to opposite ends of the fastener when the band and strip are assembled. This necessitates openings on the inner upper-engaging surface of the band and it has been found that such openings often cause undesirable marks on shoe uppers, especially on uppers of delicate material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to overcome the above objections inherent in bands for operating on shoes of the type commonly used in shoe lasting machines. To this end the means securing the band to the supporting strip permits relative movement therebetween without excessive wearing or shearing srtesses For this reason, the band is provided with a T-slot which may extend throughout its length and receives flanged heads of fasteners secured in holes in the supporting strip. Thus, when the band is wrapped about the shoe, the flanged heads of the fasteners slide along the T-slot in the band, eliminating any shearing stress on the fastener. In addition, the flanged heads of the fasteners are fully enclosed by the band with no openings on the inside of the band to cause undesirable marking of the upper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toe clamping or wiping band embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the band showing the relative movement between the band and its support strip in its open and in its closed positions wrapped about a shoe end,

3,606,625 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an illustrative toe band embodying the invention. The band 2 is generally U-shaped and may be of any suitable flexible material, preferably having a low coefiicient of friction. A suitable material is described in the Gilbride patent as polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as Teflon. The band may have a generally triangular shape in cross section, as shown, to provide a narrow operating edge 4 when the band is to be used for wiping a shoe upper. Other materials and shapes may be provided when the band is to be used for other purposes such as for clamping or molding an upper against a last without departing from the scope of the invention.

The band is supported in the machine in which it is to be used on a relatively thin strip 6 which may be formed of spring steel for strength and flexibility. The band 2 is secured to the strip 6 by fasteners 8 which are fixed to the strip by swaged heads 9, as best seen in FIG. 3. The fastener is provided with a body portion 10 and a flanged head 12 which are received for sliding movement in a T-slot 14 formed in the outer side of the band.

Referring to FIG. 2, the band is shown in open condition in full lines. During a wiping operation, the band would be wrapped closely about the contour of a shoe by forces shown schematically by arrows 16 applied to the strip 6 through ears 18 secured to the strip. The forces may be applied by means, not shown, but which, for example, may include arms mechanically operated, as shown in the Gilbride patent, or by other suitable means such as fluid-operated motors without departing from the scope of the invention. Upon application of such forces, the band is tightly wrapped about the curvature of the portion of the shoe to be operated upon, as shown by the dash line position of the band as seen in FIG. 2. By comparing the full line and dash line positions of the band, it may be seen that the wrapping movement causes relative movement between the strip 4 and the band 6, as illustrated by the dimensions 20 on FIG. 2. During such relative movement, the body 10 and head 12 of the fasteners slide along the T-slot 14 avoiding shearing stress on the fasteners.

FIG. 4 illustrates basic elements of a typical toe lasting machine in which the band may be used for wiping an upper heightwise about the toe end of a last. As shown, the shoe comprises an upper U which is shaped about a last L having an insole I on the bottom thereof. The band is supported in the machine by the ears 18 which may be connected to any suitable force applying means (not shown) so as to be engageable with the forepart of the shoe. The forepart of the shoe is supported by a pad 22. The band 2 when used to up-Wipe the upper initially is in a location below the level of the shoe bottom. Relative heightwise movement between the pad 22 and the band wipes the upper tightly about the forepart of the last. During such relative movement, the band is wrapped about and closely conforms to the contour of the shoe, as seen in FIG. 2, by the application of forces at 1-8. The wiping is usually accomplished by the narrow operating edge 4 of the band. After the band arrives at the level of the shoe bottom, as seen in FIG. 4, wipers 24 then wipe the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole bottom for attachment thereto.

ing, molding or clamping operations without departing from the scope of the invention which is to be limited only by the following claim.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite band for operating on shoes and adapted to be wrapped around a curved portion of a 10 shoe, said band having an unbroken inner face engageable with the shoe and an outer face provided with a T- slot extending lengthwise of the band, a flexible strip extending substantially along the length of said outer face 4 for reinforcing and supporting said band and fasteners secured to the strip and having heads slidably received in said T-slot for securing the band to the strip against heightwise bodily movement while permitting lengthwise relative movement between the band and the strip as the band is wrapped around the curved portion of the shoe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,102,284 9/1963 Hooper et a1 1214.4 3,115,650 12/1963 Kamborian 1214.4

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

